Machine for perforating paper



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. ROGERS. MACHINE FOR PBRP'O RATING PAPER,

No. 412,001. Patented Oct. 1,1889;

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WI T N ESSES jazz/van liyewezz (No Model.) I 4 sheets -sheet 2. J. H. ROGERS. MACHINE FDR PERPORATING PAPER.

No. 412,001. Patented Oct. 1, 1889 WITNESSES 1w VENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. H. ROGERS. MACHINE FOR PERPORATING'PAPER.

Patented Oct. 1, 1889.

(No Model) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. H. mamas,

MACHINE FOR PERFORATING PAPER.

Patented Oct. 1,1889.

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WITNESSES zdwm 17 F ell J1 ttorna UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MACHINE FOR PERFORATING PAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 412,001, dated October 1, 1889. Application filed July 27, 1888. Serial No. 281,232. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HARRIS Rooms, of Bladensburg, in the State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Perforating Paper and the Like, of which the following isa specification.

Under my invention I employ a gang of punches, each operating independently of the others, in combination with a paper-feed device common to all the punches, said feed dein position to effect the feed.

vice being operated by and during the movement of any one of the punches. The punches themselves are supported and reciprocate in suitable guides and are combined with a dieplate, between which and the acting ends of the punches passes the fillet or strip of. paper to be perforated. Each punch is actuated by a pivoted lever, which is operated from a keyboard, and with these punch-levers is combined a feed-lever provided with a yoke which extends across the path of movement of all of the punch-levers, so that any one of the latter, when actuated from the key-boa1'd,\vil1 strike the yoke and will thus operate the feed-lever. The feed-lever is actuated, preferably, in but one direction only by the punchlevers-that is to say, in the direction necessary to bring it into position to effect the feed. Its movement in the opposite direction (in which it feeds the paper) is accomplished by a spring or springs. The punch-levers act on the feed-lever as they move forward to cause their punches to perforate the paper, and in so acting they bring the feed-lever As soon as the punch-levers have done their work and are released the spring acts to return the feed-- lever to the position from which it was moved, and during this return movement the feed of the paper takes place. The feed is eifected by means of a vibratory feed-finger, which intermittently engages perforations previously formed at stated intervals in the paper stri T he nature of my improvement and the manner in which it is or may be carried into effect can best be explained and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section from front to rear of the machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the feed-finger and shaft or rod by which it is carried. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the punch-levers. Fig. 7 is a view of one of the punches.

A is the frame of the machine, which supports the working parts. In guides in the vertical plates A A of the frame are supported the horizontal reciprocatory punchers B, (ten in number in this instance,) arranged vertically one over the other in two parallel rows-four in one row and six in the otherthe punches of the one row being placed opposite the interval between the punches in the other row. This arrangement so far as concerns my present improvement may be varied without departure from my invention. I use it because it is a convenient arrangement for obtaining series of groups of perforations representing letters and word-symbols for use on a system of automatic telegraphy devised by myself and described in other applications for patent as well as patents in my name.

The punches,by retracting-springs a, are normally so held that their acting ends are flush with the face of the front plate A In front of this plate A is fixed the die-plate A there being a slit of sufficient size between the two to permit the passage of the paper strip or band X, which is drawn from a reel Y at one side of the machine, as seen more plainly in Figs. 1 and 2. The die-plate has formed in it perforations or holes I), corresponding in number and position to the punches l3, and just of a size to permit the actingends of the punches to pass into and through them.

Each punch is moved forward against the stress of its spring a by its own lever C. These levers all of them are U-shaped and of gradually increasing size, so that they may be nested or may straddle one another without interfering with their independent movement. Their ends are hung on a rod D, on which each lever is free to move independently of the others.

Each lever at its bend comes opposite to the heel of the particular punch to which it is appropriated, so that when any one lever moves forward it will push or. advance its own punch and none other. To each lever is rigidly connected an arm 0, which, in effect, forms part of the lever and extends out to the point determined on for the key-board, at which point it is provided with the usual button 0 or pressenplate d. The function of the lever actuated by the presser-plate d is precisely the same as that of those actuated by the buttons 0, and it is placed Where it is represented in the drawings as a matter of convenience only.

If any one of the keys be depressed, its lever will be moved forward, with the effect of advancing the punch pertaining to that lever and of perforating the paper between the plates A A.

The springs or may be made of sufficient strength to return to place not only the punches, but their levers as well, when pressure is removed from the keys; but in prac tice I make these springs light and only strong enough to return the punches, while the punch-levers are returned by the spring used in connection with the feed mechanism,whicl1 latter I shall now proceed to describe.

Upon an upright shaft D, swiveled in bearings upon the front of the back plate A is the horizontal radial feed-fingerE,wl1ich projects partly through and is adapted to play back and forth in a slot e in the front plate A. The finger normally rests in'the front end of the slot, and in this position (in which it stands obliquely to plate A) its outer end is flush with and does not project beyond the front face of this plate. When,however, the finger moves toward the opposite end of the slot, moving, as it does, in a curved path across the straight face of the plate, the distance between it and the plate decreases as it approaches a position at right angles to the plate, so that its end will project beyond the face of the plate. The extent of its motion should equal the distance which separates one perforation m in the strip X from the next. These perforations a: are formed in the fillet or strip X before it is placed on the reel, and they extend in a row centrally and longitudinally of the strip. The manner in which the feed-finger operates in connection with the perforation win the strip is as follows: Assume that the finger has entered one of the perforations and has carried the strip forward as far as it canthat is to say, until it reaches the front end of the slot e, (in which position it is represented in Fig. 2.) At this p'ointits front end has withdrawn into the slot so as not to project beyond the plate A, and consequently it has ceased to engage the paper strip X. If now the finger be moved toward the other end of the slot, it will pass along with its acting end bearing against the un-.

perforated inner face of the paper until it reaches its limit of motion in that direction that is to say, until it reaches the next succeeding perforation w. As soon as it reaches this point it at once enters the perforation 0. Consequently, if any one of the levers C,

be tilted or moved forward it will come against this yoke, and will therefore impart corresponding movement to the lever F. Projecting horizontally from the upper end of the feed-finger shaft D is a radial arm G, which carries a bearing-piece g, and this bearing-piece is arranged in the path of movement of the lever F, or, rather, of an upright f, attached to said lever. By reason of this arrangement the lever F when it moves forward will be caused to turn the shaft D in the direction requisite to cause the rearward movement of the feed-finger E. The extent of this movement can be accurately determined by adjusting the bearing-piece 9 upon the rod G, so that the lever will come in contact with this piece at such time during its forward stroke as will impart to the feed-finger the necessary travel. The return movement of the feed-finger and of the feed-lever is effected by the springs H I, the one bearing against the upright f and the other bearing against a post on the piece 9. The spring which returns the lever F to place also serves through the medium of the yoke F to return the punch-levers to normal position. A springpad J is provided to prevent the too free delivery of the paper.

It will be noted that the punches are grouped, so that lineally they occupy no more space than that which intervenes bet-ween successive perforations a: in the strip X.

The manner in which the machine operates is as follows: The reel of paper previously perforated with the perforations 0c is placed in the machine, and the end of the strip is drawn along under the pad J and between the two plates A A until one of the perfos rations a: registers with the feed-finger E, which at this time occupies the position shown in Fig. 2. The operator then depresses the proper punch-operating key or keys. This action not only brings about the perforation of the paper, but also moves back the feedfinger, so as to cause it to engage the next preceding perforation as. If two or more keys are to be depressed in order to produce a single symbol or character, these keys may be depressed simultaneously, or they may be depressed successively, care being taken, however, in the latter instance to hold down one key until the next has been depressed, because in this way no feed movement will take place after the first key has been depressed.

As soon as the paper has been properly perforated for the production of the first character or symbol, the keys are released and the springs a, H, and I at once act, returning the punches, the feed-lever, and the feed-finger to normal position, the latter in its return movement feeding forward the paper strip a distance equal to that which separates any two perforations as from each other. The operator then depresses the proper keys for the formation of the next character, and so 011.

Having described my improvements and the best way nowkn own to me of carrying the same into effect, what I claim herein as new and of my own invention is 1. The combination, with the punches and their actuating-levers, of the feed-lever provided with a yoke which extends across the path of movement of all of the punch-actuating levers, the vibratory feed-finger actuated by said feed-lever to move rearwardly or to the position from which it starts to feed, and the spring for returning said feed-finger to its forward position,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

.2. The combination, with the slotted plate over which the paper is fed, of the vibrating feed-finger adapted to playback and forth in said slot, and arranged with relation to said plate, so that it shall project beyond the face of the plate as it moves toward the rear of the slot and shall withdraw so as to be flush with the face of the plate as it moves toward the front end of the slot, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the plates between which the paper passes, the vibrating feed-finger and the reciprocating punches, and the devices for operating said punches and for actuating said feed-finger, one of said plates having a slot within which said feed-finger plays back and forth in acting upon or feeding the paper, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March, A. D. 1888.

J. HARRIS ROGERS.

Witnesses:

EWELL A. DICK, MARVIN A. OUsTIs. 

